Abu Dhabi launches defence industrial free zone

Abu Dhabi has announced the establishment of the Al Selmiyyah Defence Industrial Free Zone, representing a significant step in the UAE’s strategy to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing and enhance long-term national security capabilities. Developed through a partnership between the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement and AD Ports Group, the initiative combines regulatory oversight with advanced industrial infrastructure and logistics expertise. 

The free zone is intended to operate as an integrated industrial ecosystem, designed to attract leading global defence manufacturers and facilitate the localisation of production within the UAE. It is expected to support advanced manufacturing, technology transfer and the development of resilient supply chains, while fostering high-value partnerships between international original equipment manufacturers and national stakeholders. 

This development reflects a broader policy focus on industrial sovereignty and economic diversification, aligned with national strategies to expand the contribution of advanced manufacturing to GDP. 

For defence sector participants, the new free zone is likely to create a compelling platform from which to establish or expand operations in the region, within a dedicated regulatory and commercial framework.